This invention relates generally to the putting of golf balls and more particularly to a method and apparatus for putting practice and/or amusement.
In the past, many putting practice devices have been available. One device includes a flat bottom cup which is placed on a rug or other putting surface and which is equipped with pivotal leaves that allow the ball to roll into the hole area of the cup but not out of it if the speed of the ball is correct. Other devices have included spring loaded or solenoid operated ball return mechanisms for propelling the ball back to the starting area. Virtually all prior devices have suffered from the inability to realistically simulate the conditions that are encountered during actual putting, and they are also unable to provide "feedback" that is valuable in enabling participants to improve their putting, both with respect to ball speed and direction.
The present invention is directed to a putting device that is useful both for amusement and for practice. In accordance with the invention, a chamber into which the ball may be putted has a row of light emitting diodes or other indicators across its open front end. The diodes may be energized in selected patterns to define the "hole" or target area at which the ball should be aimed. The target can thus be moved across the width of the housing so that it can be on the left or right sides or in the center area to provide variety.
Inside the chamber, an infrared transmitter on one side emits infrared energy toward two spaced apart receivers on the other side of the chamber. One receiver is directly across from the transmitter so that the infrared energy it receives is contained in a beam which is transverse to the ball path. The other receiver is spaced from the first receiver so that the energy it receives can be considered to be in a beam that is oriented at an acute angle to the transverse beam.
The provision of two beams arranged in this fashion allows both the ball speed and its position to be accurately determined. By sensing the time the first beam is broken by a ball rolling through it, the ball speed can be calculated using the ball diameter which is a standard 1.68 inches for golf balls. By sensing the time that elapses between the interception of the two beams, the transverse position of the ball can be calculated using the ball speed and the known distance between the beams at different transverse locations. Thus, the two meaningful parameters of ball direction and ball speed can be calculated and can be displayed to the participant on a display board. Other meaningful information can also be displayed, including average ball speed calculated over preceding putting cycles, the percentage of putts that are on target, the percentage that are left of target and the percentage that are right of target.
Although the device has no actual "hole" into which an on-target putt drops, the conditions under which actual putting takes place are realistically simulated. The display informs the participant whether the putt was on target or off target and on which side of the target it missed, and the ball speed is also given so that the participant can immediately see that its speed was about right or perhaps rather high such that the putt would roll well beyond the hole if off target. Adding to the realism are sound effects which include a realistic simulation of a golf ball dropping into a cup for on target putts and a "cat call" or "raspberry" sound for off target putts.
The invention is particularly characterized by a simple and effective ball return mechanism that avoids the problems associated with spring loaded or solenoid operated catapult type ball return systems. A carriage is reciprocated in the ball receiving chamber by an electric motor and a belt drive system. The carriage is equipped with a paddle which sweeps the ball forwardly and pivots in order to eject the ball through the open end of the chamber and back to the starting position. The paddle is tripped by a pair of pins which are engaged by projecting arms of the paddle when it reaches the open end of the chamber, and this causes the paddle to pivot such that it flips the ball back to the starting area.
Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.